Stephanie Nagata, director of the Office of Mauna Kea Management, said several dozen protesters standing, sitting and chanting on the road prevented the caravan of vans from reaching the summit, but some passengers were able to walk the rest of the way to the ceremony.

Stephanie Nagata has made Volcano her home since mid-2000.
She has a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, and an M.S. in wildlife biology from Colorado State University.She has worked as a forest bird researcher for the U.S.
Forest Service based in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park; a hotel and tourism feasibility analyst; and a coordinator for Made in Hawai'i product programs, including the Arts Hawai'i Festivals while at the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
She is currently the Associate Director for University of Hawai'i at Hilo's Office of Mauna Kea Management, which oversees the management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, particularly the protection and preservation of the summit's cultural and natural resources.Stephanie is on the Board of Directors for the UH Alumni Association, and is a member of the advisory committee for the Performing Arts Center at UH-Hilo.
For the past 14 years, she has been studying traditional Japanese embroidery and coordinates classes on the subject in Honolulu.
She was elected to the VAC board in 2005 and serves on VAC's Development Committee.

Stephanie Nagata, Interim Director, holds both an M.B.A. from UH and an M.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University.She has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors with coordinating programs, conferences and events, research, and feasibility studies.
Nagata began working for OMKM as its interim assistant director since its inception in August 2000, and was selected to fill the post on a permanent basis in December 2001.